“Anytime.” Her voice was breathless as she answered. I realized her heart was pounding against my chest, her arms wrapped tightly about me. I gave her a squeeze, wanting to hold her close for just a second more before I gently set her down on the ground again, slowly releasing her. I took a half step back to put some distance between us. Her big eyes looked up at me as she nibbled at her lip in confusion.
That’s when I knew. She was feeling some of what I was feeling. And Alex? Me and him were going to have a talk. “Let’s get you to lunch.” I tucked a loose curl that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear. The silky tress slipping between my fingers. Everything about her was so soft.
“Okay,” she whispered as her lips parted. My fingers skimmed the sensitive skin behind her ear and ran down her neck. She shivered in the most satisfying way. We were drifting closer again. I wanted to reach my other hand up and hold her face. I wanted to kiss her so bad, and I wondered for a second if she’d taste as sweet as she smelled.
But the slamming of the cafeteria screen jolted me out of my trance. Not yet, I told myself. First I needed to get things straight with Alex. I had a few good friends and I was done messing that stuff up.
* * *
Chloe
I blinked several times as Drew grabbed my hand and started to pull me toward the cafeteria again. I swear, I thought he was going to kiss me. Even weirder, I was pretty sure I wanted him to. All right, I was more than pretty sure. I definitely wanted him to.
But tomorrow night, I was going on a date with another guy. His best friend. I could not do that to either of them.
I was so confused that I forgot to be nervous as we entered the lunch line. Luckily I didn’t see Alex, but unfortunately, I didn’t see Millie either and I was desperate to have a one and one with her. They must have already headed back to their posts.
Eating quickly, we sprinted back down for our next lessons. I was so relieved to just teach all afternoon. My head was buzzing with thoughts of Drew and Alex, what I thought I wanted versus what I was feeling. You would think all that thinking would have provided a resolution but my brain just spun in circles.
I almost skipped dinner but the sun had worn me out and I needed the food. I was the first one to finish, only eating half my plate and then I got the campers back to the bunks. By the time I got back to my own cabin, Millie was just leaving.
“Are you all right?” she asked as she came out the door meeting me on the porch.
“Have you got a year?” I said giving her a little hug.
She gave me a squeeze back. “Are you going out again tonight?”
I groaned. Yes, I was supposed to meet Drew. But I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. “I don’t--”
“Hey,” Drew called as if he knew I’d been thinking about him. “Ready to go?”
I gave Millie that panicked look. In return she made that oh crap face where she pulled her lips down and showed her bottom teeth.
“Um, yeah, sure, maybe.” I fumbled searching for something to say. Part of me wanted to go with him but I was so confused. “I am super tired.” I had always been terrible at just saying no.
He walked up to us, giving me the eye in the porch light. The sun had just set and the only sound was the mosquitos buzzing about as he studied me. He was silent for so long that I started to squirm. “Are you upset with me? Are you regretting offering me a ride?”
“No, of course not.” I stepped closer. I did not regret that even a little bit and I didn’t want there to be any confusion on that front. “I am so excited that you have this audition with a new band and I don’t mind helping at all.”
“Then what’s wrong?” He looked me up and down as if that would help him figure it out.
When had Drew gotten to know me so well? “Nothing, let’s go practice a couple of songs. I just, I’ll make sure to come back early. That’s all.”
Then he really killed me. “I don’t want to wear you out,” he said as he brushed a stray curl back from my face. “If you need to go to bed, of course I understand. We’ll do this some other time.”
I heard Millie suck in her breath. My own breath was coming out in short gasps. Because his tenderness confused me. And it made me ache. Like, not hurt but I longed for something. “No, let’s go for an hour.”
I didn’t want to. I desperately wanted to.
He stared into my eyes again and I wanted to squirm under his assessment or throw myself into his arms. Perhaps run away? “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure,” I said as I grabbed his free hand, pulling him down the path. My hand tingled where it touched his. I heard his guitar thumping against his outer thigh as we walked. “I was thinking,” I turned my head back toward him so he could hear me. “Maybe I just won’t go out tomorrow night. Stay in and get some rest you know? We have to work on Saturday and then we’ll be gone all day on Sunday. Big day, right? And I--” I stopped abruptly. Because I was rambling. I did that when I got nervous.
But what was I actually nervous about? I was here alone with Drew and talking about cancelling my date with Alex.
But rather than looking annoyed, Drew was quirking an eyebrow at me, with a half-smile pulling up one side of his lips. “You don’t want to do the campfire tomorrow?”
What did I say? “It’s late and it’s been a busy week and—“ I was rambling again.
He stopped on the trail and I stopped too. Our hands were still connected and he pulled me closer. “This is your big date. If you’re having second thoughts about going out with Alex maybe you should tell him.”
“No, I’m not,” I started. But I think it was because Drew was so close. He was messing with my head. “Okay, maybe I am.”
His lips dipped down close to my ear. “Just be honest with him. Alex is a pretty resilient guy, he’ll be fine.”
I found myself nodding. “Do you think so?”
“Totally. And, if it will help, I’ll talk to him.” He loosened his fingers from my grasp but only to slip them around the small of my back. I was tucked into his side, my body fitting with his like two pieces of a puzzle.
“That would be awesome,” I said as I rush of air left my lungs, relief making me limp against him.
His arm squeezed me a little close. “Come on, we’ll practice another night. Let’s take you back to your cabin. You get some rest and I’ll catch Alex when he’s off patrol duty.”
Knowing he would talk to Alex, I was no longer tired, I was invigorated. In fact, I had never felt more alive than I did right here, pressed against him. But if he were going to smooth things over with Alex, he should do it tonight and so I nodded against his chest. But then another doubt crept into my thoughts. “Do you think it would be better if I did it myself?” I was notoriously bad at this stuff, but still.
He gave a chuckle. “You can talk to him too if you think’s its better. But I am just going make sure tomorrow night goes smoothly. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
I blinked. When had he started paving the road for me, so to speak? It was so nice. “Thanks?”
He laughed again. “You’re welcome.” Then he stepped back and grabbed my hand. “Come on.” This time he was pulling me toward my cabin.
When had Drew become my protector? I had to confess that I really liked it. But we were only friends. The question was, did I want more?
Chapter Eight
Drew
I dropped Chloe off and headed back to my cabin, trying to decide what I would say to Alex. I had already planned to talk with him about Chloe so it was an easy promise to make to her that I would smooth things out.
I could see now that her sunny, bubbly personality masked an insecurity. She didn’t like conflict. It made me wince to think of the times I’d fired directly at her with my words last year. But I would never do that again and, what was more, I could easily protect her from others. She lifted me up in ways I had never imagined. I could do this for her. In fact, we made a good team.
Not that Alex wou
ld ever hurt her if she said she only wanted to be friends. He was a good guy. He hadn’t even been that mean to Tiffani and he’d been crazy about her. I got the feeling he didn’t like Chloe the way I did so his feelings wouldn’t be hurt at all. But I needed to tell him how I felt before I had to watch them on a date. Because if I didn’t, Chloe might chicken out and then we’d all be having a super awkward evening. I didn’t think she’d date him the whole summer just to avoid confrontation but all the same, I wouldn’t take the chance.
Once I was back at the cabin, I didn’t have to wait too long before Alex showed up. “Hey man,” I said when he walked in.
“Hey.” He gave me his usual grin. “I thought you’d be singing your heart out to Chloe long into the night.”
Now that one threw me. Had Alex become aware of how I felt about her? He wasn’t usually that perceptive. “What?”
“Yeah, are you practicing your moves on her or something?” He plopped himself down on his bed. “’Cause I gotta tell you that if Chloe and I start dating, that is not cool.”
That sounded a lot more like the Alex I knew. “No, I’m not practicing my moves.” I cleared my throat. “How attached to Chloe are you?”
He arched one eyebrow. “I don’t know. We haven’t even been out. I haven’t even kissed her.”
I wanted to jump out of my skin. There was no way he was putting his lips on her. “Well do me a favor and don’t.” It came out rougher than I intended.
“What? What’s wrong with you?” He sat up on his bed and planted his feet on the floor, looking at me.
I took a deep breath. “When I told you that Chloe had a crush on you, I think I expected you to tell her you didn’t like her. And then she could get over you and I--” I stopped. Because it sounded way worse out loud than it had in my head.
“Oh man,” he smacked the heel of his hand into his forehead. “You like her.”
Ding ding ding. We have a winner. I put a cap back on my sarcastic side because it was not helping. “Yeah, I like her. And the thought of the two of you going out makes me want to hit things.”
Alex nodded at me. “That’s cool, man. I’m glad you told me, you know, before the date.” He took a breath. “I think Chloe is really cool but I don’t get that crazy feeling like I have before. You know the one that tells you this girl is special.”
I knew the feeling exactly. “Like the one I get whenever I am around her.”
“Is it new? Because last year you--”
“Alex.” I stopped him, sitting up too. “It isn’t new. I know this is messed up but I’m only just realizing that I liked her then too. I was angry about the band and Sarah. But I was also going crazy because she was falling all over you.”
Alex’s mouth hung open. “Was she?” He scratched his head. “I didn’t even notice. Maybe I should cancel the whole thing tomorrow night.”
I didn’t want Chloe’s feelings hurt either. “How about we all go as friends?”
“Yeah, that would be good.” Alex flopped back on his bed, putting his hands behind his head like he didn’t have a care in the world. It was all settled.
I lay back down and stared at the ceiling. I knew I wasn’t falling asleep for a long time. All I could think about was Chloe and the feel of her against me, her smell, her smile, that hair. I had to find a way to make her my girlfriend.
* * *
Chloe
I sat playing with my food at breakfast the next morning, nerves eating at my belly. Had Drew talked with Alex? As if I’d conjured them, the two of them strode into the cafeteria heading straight for us.
“Crap,” I muttered.
Millie twisted her head around to look. “Here they come,” she whispered back.
“Morning,” Alex sang out in his usual way.
I tilted my head to look at him. He wasn’t acting any differently. “Morning.”
“So about tonight…” he gave me his usual million watt smile. “Want to just go as friends? Take the pressure off?”
“Sure,” I replied. I looked at Drew who winked at me. That was it. Just like that, Alex and I were back to friends. How did that come so easy to some people?
“Cool,” Alex bounded off to get his breakfast.
“Cool,” Drew wiggled his eyebrows at me.
“Cool,” I replied not knowing what else to say.
“Cool?” Millie asked as Drew walked away, also heading to get his breakfast.
“I know I made you listen to like sixty hours of Alex talk--”
“Sixty?” Millie raised her eyebrows. “It was at least twice that.”
I bit my lip to hide my smile. “But when it came right down to going on a date with him, I wasn’t sure I actually wanted to.”
Millie’s mouth hung open. “Does that have anything to do with the mysteriously handsome Drew McCabe?”
“I…I’m not sure,” I answered honestly. “Sometimes I think so and other times I remember last summer and I…” I didn’t finish, I didn’t have to.
Millie shrugged. “I don’t blame you if you if you don’t want to go out with him but he might have a really good reason for acting the way he did last summer. He seemed sad to me. Like he was really going through something.”
I stared at Millie. She had a point. He’d clearly been going through a lot and Millie was rather perceptive to have picked up on it. I hadn’t. It was one of the reasons I would do well to listen to her. “How do you know that isn’t just his personality? He was mean for an entire summer and nice for like two days.”
She shrugged. “I don’t. But I know his girlfriend dumped him a week into camp and I think his band, that he formed, kicked him out right before the summer when they found out he couldn’t tour. If your life fell apart like that, how would you act?”
I didn’t have time to answer because the guys came back. I looked at Drew, he seemed relaxed, smiling, and happy. Thinking back, I didn’t remember him looking like this once last year. He was always sporting that dark and broody look with the low set brow and a frown. Not that it had hurt his popularity with the girls. But I had to admit I liked this Drew better.
We finished up breakfast and headed down to our posts. I almost asked what had happened with Alex the night before but we’d spent a lot of time talking about me. Instead, I asked about him. “So tell me more about your split with the band. We kind of glossed over it but it must have been tough for you.”
His eyes widened as he looked over at me but, after a second, he answered, “None of those guys went to college. They’re convinced that the band is their future and I think it’s awesome. But they stayed around here and played clubs and stuff, set up a local tour for the summer.”
That made sense. “How come you didn’t join back up in the fall? UConn isn’t that far away.”
He shrugged. “They’d replaced me and that guy could be around full time. I was really angry about it. I’d started that band and I poured my heart into it. Plus, I thought we were friends. That might have been the part that hurt the most.”
I winced inwardly. How would I have acted if all of my friends had abandoned me? Much as I’d like to think that I would have risen above it, I had the suspicion that I would have acted a lot like Drew. “That sucks.”
He gave me that smile again. The one I liked more and more. “I hope it was for the best. I’ve got this audition for a band, which is sick. I can’t wait for you to hear them on Sunday. I’m going to an amazing music school.” He slung his arm around my shoulders. “And I am going to be in the same city as this fantastic girl I met at camp.”
“Stop,” I grinned as I grabbed his hand, the one around my shoulders and instead of tossing it off, I pulled him a little closer. “I’m sorry your friends did that to you. They’re jerks.”
He gave me a little squeeze. “They are.” He let go of my shoulder. “But Alex is cool and I have a couple of new friends, namely you and Millie, who are awesome.”
“Thanks,” I pushed his shoulder. “You’re awesome too.�
��
“I’m glad we’re friends.” He reached for my hand and I let him take it.
“Me too,” I returned but I wasn’t so sure. I’d had a giant crush on Alex and now we were just friends. I’d hated Drew and now he was holding my hand. I was pretty sure I was messing all of this up.
Chapter Nine
Drew
Alex and I walked over to Chloe and Millie’s cabin. I was no longer dreading tonight, in fact, I couldn’t wait. Tonight I wanted to show her that I liked her as more than just a friend. I’d dated plenty, hooked up some, but with Chloe, I was actually nervous. Like, sweaty palm nervous, where I had to wipe them on my shorts for the third time in the five minute walk. It was particularly annoying because I was carrying my guitar and had to keep switching hands, the case handle was getting so greasy.
She and Millie stepped out of the cabin and I caught my breath. Her hair was down, her beach curls blowing in the wind and she had on this old pair of jeans, a little ripped and faded but hugging her in all the right places. Honestly, I wanted to kiss her right then and there.
But we were going as friends. I’d wait until later to tell her how I felt and see how she felt about me.
“Hey pretty ladies,” Alex grinned, looping his arm around Millie. Man, that guy was a good friend. He’d totally shifted his expectations for tonight with barely a bother.
“Hey yourself,” Millie answered, tossing his hand off her shoulder while she giggled.
I slipped my arm around Chloe’s waist and rested my hand on the small of her back. I loved the feel of her against my side. “Hi,” I wasn’t trying for a bedroom voice, but it came out low and husky.
“Hi,” she replied, her voice catching a little.
Alex and Millie began walking toward the beach and we followed. I had so much I wanted to say but none of the words actually came out and so we walked silently, my hand still at her back.
Camp Crush: Accidental Kisses Page 6